The present invention relates to training aids of the type used to develop manipulative skills in young children or handicapped persons. More particularly, the present invention is related to a training aid resembling a garment which is used to develop manipulative skills with various clothing fasteners.
Training aids directed specifically to developing manipulative skills with articles of clothing are highly desirable because of the universal need to teach young children and physically handicapped persons to dress and undress themselves. Some training aids of this type are found in the prior art.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,972,820 discloses a training device comprised of a foldable sheet to which a plurality of clothing fasteners of different types, such as buttons, snaps, laces and buckles are attached. This training device is utilized by spreading the sheet in an unfolded position in front of the person to be trained and allowing him to manipulate the various fasteners either by himself or with the assistance of another person such as a parent or physical therapist. Skills are usually developed first with fasteners such as large buttons or snaps which are relatively easy to manipulate and, as basic skills are developed, more difficult fasteners such as buckles and laces are dealt with. However, particular handicaps may dictate a different approach.
Training aids used to develop skills with clothing fasteners should, however, simulate the actual conditions and circumstances that are encountered when the subject skills are actually needed. In the case of clothing fasteners, the manipulative skills developed from training aids held in front of the person are not directly transferable to actual clothing as it is worn on the body. For example, skills developed in manipulating a button through a buttonhole in a shirt, blouse, or coat are reversed from right to left and top to bottom when the article of clothing is moved from a position in front of a person to a position on the person's body. Quite apart from young children or persons having physical or mental handicaps, individuals having fully developed skills in this area can discern a noticeable difference in the two situations.
A training garment that develops skills which are directly transferable to actual clothing fasteners is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,638,334. The garment is in effect an abbreviated article of clothing bearing on type of fastener for which the manipulative skills are to be developed. To develop skills with a broad range of clothing fasteners, a series of such abbreviated garments is provided.
It is desirable that manipulative skills be developed for the wide variety of clothing fasteners utilized on todays clothing. It is also desirable that the training aid utilized for this purpose be as compact as possible. Still further, it is desirable that the training device be simple in construction and easy to use while it is worn by the person receiving the desired training. It is, accordingly, a general object of the present invention to provide a training vest or the like which possesses the above qualities without the disadvantages of the prior art devices.